According to the National Retail Federation, 65.6 million individuals are expected to shop on Small Business Saturday. Statistically, 75% of these people own a pet - here's how neighborhood pet stores can capitalize on the biggest shopping weekend of the year.
In 2023, pet items were the 20th most purchased item on Small Business Saturday. With spending in the pet retail market expected to continue to rise, this is the perfect time to prepare your store for the Thanksgiving weekend. Here are our top five tips to get ready for the retail rush:
1. Stock Up and Strategize Your Store's Layout
Review your top-selling products from the past year along with your holiday merchandise. Pet owners are likely to want to replenish their supplies of food and treats during Small Business Saturday sales, while also seeking festive items to include their pets in the fun of the season. Spruce up your POS displays, organize your aisles for easier navigation to accommodate heavier foot traffic, and prepare your staff by providing quick summaries of popular products or services to ensure they are ready to assist new customers.
2. Break Out Your Best Marketing Materials
Utilize downloadable resources from your preferred brands, share their holiday content, and set up an event on your store's Facebook page to showcase any exclusive sales or promotions for Small Business Saturday. It's also an excellent opportunity to partner with another local business for joint promotion, such as teaming up with a local photographer to offer pet photos with Santa.
3. Offer Special Holiday Promotions
Customers will be looking for discounts this weekend, so consider offering bundles and special sales on pet essentials. It's an ideal opportunity to leverage loyalty programs, such as Astro Loyalty, to boost sales and reward returning customers. If you have the capacity or personnel, Small Business Saturday is an excellent occasion for live demonstrations of new toys, grooming products, and more.
4. Make a Little Magic
Small Business Saturday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the season to spread cheer and joy after all! Elevate your customers' experience by decorating your storefront, offering personalized shopping suggestions based on their purchase history, providing "milk" (use water, or maybe this is an opportunity to let pups sample some goat's milk!) and cookies for dogs, and fostering a low-pressure atmosphere that encourages a leisurely shopping experience.
5. Prep for Post-Sale Engagement
Beyond collecting information to digitally connect with your customers after they leave the store, take this opportunity to review any personalized recommendations you can send following their visit or add them to your database for monthly reminders when it's time to restock on food or treats. Be sure to send them invitations to future events, share special promotions, or announce new items when they're added to your store. Onboarding a CRM system is a great way to manage these digital relationships and create automated emails!
Whether you implement all these tips or just a few, the aim of Small Business Saturday is to encourage shoppers to engage with their community and support local businesses—what better opportunity to highlight the benefits of your neighborhood pet store?
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